Canned Tuna vs. Lentils

Nutrition comparison of Canned Tuna and Cooked Lentils


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of canned tuna versus cooked lentils (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in canned tuna and lentils:

  • Both canned tuna and lentils are high in calories, potassium and protein.
  • For omega-3 fatty acids, canned tuna has more dha, epa and dpa than lentil.
  • Lentil has more thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate, however, canned tuna contains more niacin and Vitamin B12.
  • Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and iron.
Detailed nutritional comparison of canned tuna and lentils is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Canned Tuna (Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids) and Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Canned Tuna src
Image of Lentils src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Both canned tuna and lentils are high in calories. Canned tuna has a little more calories (10%) than lentil by weight - canned tuna has 128 calories per 100 grams and lentil has 116 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, canned tuna is much heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to lentils per calorie. Canned tuna has a macronutrient ratio of 78:0:22 and for lentils, 30:67:3 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Canned Tuna Lentils
Protein 78% 30%
Carbohydrates ~ 67%
Fat 22% 3%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Canned tuna has less carbohydrates than lentil - lentil has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

dietary fiber

Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than canned tuna - lentil has 7.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Canned tuna has less sugar than lentil - lentil has 1.8g of sugar per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Both canned tuna and lentils are high in protein. Canned tuna has 162% more protein than lentil - canned tuna has 23.6g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both canned tuna and lentils are low in saturated fat - canned tuna has 0.79g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lentil has 0.05g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Lentil has less cholesterol than canned tuna - canned tuna has 42mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Lentil has more Vitamin C than canned tuna - lentil has 1.5mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Canned tuna has more Vitamin A than lentil - canned tuna has 6ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Lentils and canned tuna contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - lentil has 0.11mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Lentils and canned tuna contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - lentil has 1.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Lentil has more thiamin, pantothenic acid and folate, however, canned tuna contains more niacin and Vitamin B12. Both canned tuna and lentils contain significant amounts of riboflavin and Vitamin B6.

Canned Tuna Lentils
Thiamin 0.008 MG 0.169 MG
Riboflavin 0.044 MG 0.073 MG
Niacin 5.799 MG 1.06 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.124 MG 0.638 MG
Vitamin B6 0.217 MG 0.178 MG
Folate 2 UG 181 UG
Vitamin B12 1.17 UG ~

Minerals

calcium

Canned tuna and lentils contain similar amounts of calcium - canned tuna has 14mg of calcium per 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.

iron

Lentil is an excellent source of iron and it has 243% more iron than canned tuna - canned tuna has 0.97mg of iron per 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

potassium

Both canned tuna and lentils are high in potassium. Lentil has 56% more potassium than canned tuna - canned tuna has 237mg of potassium per 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, canned tuna has more DHA, EPA and DPA than lentil per 100 grams. Both canned tuna and lentils contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Canned Tuna Lentils
alpha linoleic acid 0.071 G 0.037 G
DHA 0.629 G ~
EPA 0.233 G ~
DPA 0.018 G ~
Total 0.951 G 0.037 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, lentil has more linoleic acid than canned tuna per 100 grams.

Canned Tuna Lentils
linoleic acid 0.055 G 0.137 G
other omega 6 0.051 G ~
Total 0.106 G 0.137 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Canned Tuna (Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids) and Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) .

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FAQ

Does canned tuna or lentils contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both canned tuna and lentils are high in calories. Canned tuna has a little more calories ( 10%) than lentil by weight - canned tuna has 128 calories in 100g and lentil has 116 calories.

Is canned tuna or lentils better for protein?
Both canned tuna and lentils are high in protein. Canned tuna has 160% more protein than lentil - canned tuna has 23.6g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.

Does lentils or canned tuna have more carbohydrates?
By weight, canned tuna has fewer carbohydrates than lentil - lentil has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and canned tuna has no carbs..

Does canned tuna or lentils contain more iron?
Lentil is an abundant source of iron and it has 240% more iron than canned tuna - canned tuna has 0.97mg of iron in 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

Does canned tuna or lentils contain more potassium?
Both canned tuna and lentils are high in potassium. Lentil has 60% more potassium than canned tuna - canned tuna has 237mg of potassium in 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.